Chasid Yaavatz concludes, "This resolves the famous dilemma of לו וטוב ורשע לו ורע צדיק, why we see tzaddikim who suffer in this world, and resha'im who have a good life. The answer can be that the tzaddikim should have done more, and they are punished for not doing so. The rasha'im may have done enough, according to their level and abilities. Therefore, they deserve goodness in this world."
It states (8:11) זית עלה והנה ערב לעת היונה אליו ותבא בפיה טרף, "The dove came back to him in the evening – and behold! an olive leave it had plucked with its bill."
Rashi says (quoting Eiruvin 18b) that טרף means food, and בפיה means that she spoke. This means that the dove spoke to Noach about her food and parnassah. She said, מזונתי יהיו ודם בשר בידי כדבש מתוקין ולא ה"הקב של בידו כזית מרורין, "Let my parnassah be bitter like an olive, but it comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu's hand, rather than a parnassah sweet like honey, coming from man." In addition to its literal meaning, there is also a hidden lesson here. Rashi is telling us that a small act of avodas Hashem, small like an olive branch, but it was hard to do, and it was bitter like an olive, this is more precious to Hashem than many good deeds that come easy to the person, as though it was sweet like honey.
The Mishnah (Avos 4:28) states, שאין הוא ברוך פנים משוא ...לפניו, "Blessed is Hashem. There isn't before Him... finding favors..." This means that Hashem judges everyone equally, and everyone has an equal opportunity. Hashem doesn't "play favorites" to give more opportunities to one over another. Chasid Yaavatz asks that it doesn't seem so. Some people are born with a good nature, and it is easy for them to do good. They naturally want to study a lot of Torah, and they innately have a lot of yiras Shamayim. They do chesed generously, and their hearts are clean from any scent of cruelty and hatred. On the other hand, some people were born with an evil nature, and they desire to do bad – bad to others and to Hashem. Doesn't this seem unfair? Isn't this פנים משוא, taking favorites, one over another? Aren't the tzaddikim given a better beginning and opportunity?
But the answer is found at the end of the Mishnah: החשבון לפי שהכל ודע, "And know that everything is according to the calculation." This means the judgment is with a חשבון, calculation. Hashem expects more from those who were born with a good nature, and if they don't do what they could, they will be held accountable. In contrast, Hashem has lower expectations from those who are born without these qualities, and even if they do a little, it is very praised and precious in Hashem's eyes.
So, there is no favoritism, because everyone is judged according to what they should have done based on the situation, tests, and abilities that were given to them.
A Lesson from Rebbe Hershele Liska
A similar lesson is taught by Rebbe Hershele Liska zy'a (סוכות ,תבואה פרי אך) to explain the Chazal (Brrachos 8a) מירא יותר מיגיעו הנהנה גדול שמים, someone who enjoys the work of his hands is greater than someone who has yiras shamayim. The meaning of this Chazal is a mystery. If his only quality is that he works and has a job, and he earns his money on his own, should he already be considered greater and better than someone who has yiras Shamayim?
But the explanation is that מיגיעו הנהנה refers to a person who worked hard to attain yiras Shamayim, and to overcome his yetzer hara. He is greater than a yirei Shamayim, which means he is greater than a person who received his level of yiras Shamayim without having to work hard and to strive to attain it. This is because the primary praise is the levels one worked hard to attain.
